Police move into more schools

Police officers will be stationed in dozens of schools under government plans announced today.

Some schools in Southwark already have police based in them, a move which has led to a marked reduction in crime in the area against vulnerable youngsters, many of whom were targeted by teenage gangs for their mobile phones.

However, senior Metropolitan Police officers, keen to expand the scheme as part of the fight against soaring street crime, have expressed frustration that other schools and councils are proving reluctant to follow Southwark's lead.

Some heads, the Met believes, fear a police presence in or near their school will deter parents; others that association with the police will drive a wedge between teachers and pupils.

But today Education Secretary Estelle Morris and Home Secretary David Blunkett will publish new guidance for police-school liaison, making clear that heads should have no such fears. They will also announce £10million funding this year for education authority teams to support local initiatives.

A senior government source said: "Some heads may feel that, if they stick their hands up and ask the police for support in dealing with crime and bad behaviour in and around schools, they will be stigmatised. Quite the reverse. Estelle Morris will applaud those who use whatever resources are available to tackle bad behaviour and instil discipline in schools."

Sources said that Ms Morris envisaged police being stationed in upwards of 70 schools across the country as a result of the latest initiative.

They would be located in the 10 police areas - including the Met - identified by the Government as crime "hot spots". Last week, Ms Morris announced £66million extra funding for a range of other measures to help schools in these areas tackle indiscipline and truancy, which ministers link directly with crime.

The sources said the new guidance was intended to reassure heads that they would dictate the extent of police involvement, which could vary from officers being based in a school to patrols in surrounding streets.

The vast majority of schools themselves were "orderly places". But, if heads wanted a police presence in school to help teachers combat extreme behaviour, the initiative would rest with them. Sources stressed that the Governmentdid not envisage police officers "sitting alongside teachers in the classroom".

However, some heads will be nervous that ministers are even contemplating a police role in school behaviour, where teachers are currently the sole authority.

A million children are estimated to miss at least one half-day of school without permission each year and a recent Met survey showed that in London many are involved in crime.

Nearly half of all street robberies, 25 per cent of burglaries, 20 per cent of criminal damage and a third of car theft were committed by 10 to 16-yearolds, many of whom were regular truants.

The Government sees parental responsibility as key to breaking the link between bad behaviour and crime. Surveys show that 80 per cent of truants caught in police sweeps are with a "responsible adult" and yesterday it was disclosed that ministers are considering removing child benefit from parents whose children commit crime or regularly bunk off school.

Ms Morris has already announced that parents whose children are persistently badly behaved in school could be brought before the courts and compelled to attend "parenting classes".